Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Take care of your skin!

That's precisely what my Dr. told me - the damage wasn't last year, it was 20-30 years ago.

I'm seeing a new Dr. My original doc passed away earlier this year; he was brilliant, retired Navy captain, and he was trained by Dr. Mohs himself. I had been seeing him intermittently for about 11 years.

I guess this thread is fairly timely since I made a dermatology appointment just this morning. I can’t get in until November but that’s fine it ain’t an emergency and I’m going hunting next week anyway. Being of Northern European decent I don’t tan as good as my wife or son and I spent most of my life outdoors, granted it’s the Pacific Northwest so it ain’t like sunshine is as common as some of you are used to but nonetheless there is sunshine here. I was also a beach lifeguard through high school and college which meant more sun and sunburns for me. I noticed a spot on my right forearm and it looks like skin cancer to me. I tend to think everything is cancer but this time I don’t think it’s my imagination and I’ve been meaning to get it looked at and hacked off but I keep forgetting until it’s after hours. My wonderful wife reminded me today to make the appointment so I did. They asked me if I wanted them to do a full body check or just the offending spot, I’m almost 52 and figured that the full body check was best. I have several friends that are frequently getting spots cut out so I guess it’s my turn. 😫

Remember skin cancers of any form can show up ANYWHERE on the body, not necessarily sun exposed areas. A few years ago I had a basal cell cancer taken off my upper thigh. The Dr was surprised when the biopsy came back with BCC. It had been a little pinkish bump that got darker and darker. Had another on my forearm just a few weeks ago. Be alert.
Like lots of others here, I had lots fo sunburns, some blistering as a kid and young adult.

Same here. I've been introduced to both of those nasty Noma brothers, Mel and Carson. Had a squishy thing show up on the back of my neck and didn't go away for two weeks. Wife said see the Doc. Family Doc said he wasn't sure what it was but carved it off and took a sample. Turned out to be what they later called a "six-month" melanoma - the kind where if you ignore it, you're dead in six months. Had the Mohs treatment on it, but the family Doc had gotten it all.

Started getting Full Monty checkups every six months from a lovely young lady Doc. Odd experience the first time, getting poked ALL over. Later she found a carcinoma on the top of my left ear, but it's been two years now all clean so I'm down to annual checkups.

So now I have a Z for Zorro scar on the back of my neck, and my left ear is always a bit tender. But I'm still here.

Scrape biopsy yesterday, Doc said squamous cell for sure.
Doing the insurance dance for Mohs.

?? you'd waited 20X too long to get that checked ....

Not relevant..JiminTN uses it as a lubricant.

I gotta have the Mohs Surgery done on me nose next month. Really looking forward to it.

Blame it on seed and fertilizer companies. When they started handing out free ball caps to farmers, they caught on and broad brimmed hats were tossed in the backs of the closets and forgotten. Then the skin cancer rate among farmers skyrocketed. Short sleeved shirts are a big problem, too. I'm as guilty as anyone. I've had basil and squamous cell growths removed several times. No melanomas so far, thank God.

Do you weld? How often have you picked up a stinger for a quick spot weld without putting on something to protect your arms or your throat area? A couple seconds with a welder will do as much damage as weeks of sunshine.

I get benign black moles on my back, and hands.
They stop at my waist line.

I had a booger hanging from nose this morning.

WI. farmers are some of the most prone to get a skin cancer because of our light complected European ancestry. I've been there done that Mohs thing twice myself with Carver Cambell. I've always worn the dorkish brimmed hats out fishing, but lately I took a lesson from the FL. bone fishermen and bought fingerless Fish Hawk fishing gloves and one of those Simms face/head sun helmets because I don't like sunscreen. Works great, maybe for Halloween too. What got me last time was aviator sunglasses because lots of sun sneaks in from the side and Carver had her way with my right eyebrow this year. A dermatologist with a scalpel sure gets a guy's attention.

I started using BUFFs face shield/tubes but have found a company that sells them for much less, and of equal quality. Cheap insurance, and they're surprisingly both warm and cool, in any weather. LINK

I went to the public every summer day for 10 years

Roofed houses for 15 years never wore a shirt or hat.


Mfer talking bout skin cansa from milking cows. LOL

Not everyone gets cancer but the odds are much higher for those with excessive exposure.

For me, it is the back of my hands. Just had one spot cut out and biopsied, "pre-cancerous"

All those years with an irrigation shovel in my hands, or bucking hay bales are coming home to roost. No, I seldom wore gloves. Often not even when bucking hay.

Lots of old truck drivers with cancer showing up on the left hand, arm, ear, or face. Too many years of driving in the sun with the drivers side window down and the left arm resting on the door.

We recently lost a driver who carried our product on a daily basis. Cancer first showed on his left arm and left ear.

I get a full exam 2 times a year at the dermatologist

Lift your sack, spread your cheeks, even looks between toes.

Doc says I look remarkably well for all my sun exposure AND being on antirejection meds.

I’m supposed to wear long sleeves, wide brim and sunscreen per advisement due to these meds.

I say hell with all that. I dont want greasy pootie poo stuff smeared on me. I hate any kind of lotions or potions

I looked up the Mohs surgery , I had that about 2 years ago but don't recall anyone explaining that the procedure had a name .

They hacked the Basil out , then sliced my nose nearly from the top to the bottom on the left side , my nose was laying in my eye while they were digging the cancer out . Weird looking up and having your sliced nose blocking your view .
It was cut like that then stitched to give it room to fill in in two areas - scooted it over some to fill in where the Basil Cell was . Can't even tell it was ever cut .

I know I can google it but what’s the Mohs treatment?